I'll take a few cracks
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Originally posted by RebbelX
2) A constellation is a grouping of stars that appears near each other on the sky. Are the stars in a constellation all at the same distance from us? Explain
The stars do not necessarily need to be next to each other, I'm guessing that they rarely are. Take the stars of Orians belt. Nowhere near each other. They appear close to each because they angles formed by star-earth-star is relatively small. The distances between the earth and these stars are actually very different.
They always appear near each other because the revolution of the earth around the sun is very small in comparison to the distance between the earth and these stars.
Quote:
Originally posted by RebbelX
3) For Each of the Following types of motion, state whether the motion is due entirely to movement of the observed object, due entirely to the Earth's (observer's) motion, and the earth's motion: annual motion of the sun: daily rising and setting of the stars: retrograde motion of a superior planet; and daily rising and setting of the sun. Briefly explain each answer.
with the exception of retrograde motion... (I don't know what that is) all of the above are affected by the motion of the object relative to us. These means, imagining a 'still' object in the universe, the object that we are observing has a motion relative to the 'still' object. The observer has motion relative to the earth, the earth has motion rotating around it's own axis, earth rotates along with the moon around their center of mass, the earth rotates along with the sun around their center of mass, the solar system rotates around our galaxy, the galaxy is moving through the universe...
Like I said before, relativity.
Quote:
Originally posted by RebbelX
6) How would our seasons be different if the Earth's axis were not tilted (that is, if the axis were perpendicular to the Earth's orbital plane)? What would the seasons be like if the Earth's axis were tipped 90 degrees instead of 23.5 degrees?
ask uranus (no pun intended, it has it's axis somewhat perpendicular to it's rotation around the sun)
Quote:
Originally posted by RebbelX
7) Explain why the moon is never visible on certain nights.
You mean the new moon? There is no light shining directly on it from the sun. You can still see it because there is a bit of light reflected off the earth, to the moon, and back to the earth.
Quote:
Originally posted by RebbelX
8) Explain why a solar eclipse is often followed by a lunar eclipse about two weeks later.
'cause?